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1st Cake Distaster! Wedding Cake Collapsed! Need Advise..pls

post #1 of 35
8/24/10 at 9:38am
Thread Starter 
I made a 4 tier wedding cake (non traditional) for a couple that I attended high school with. He found out I made cake from home and decided to use me to make their cake. His wife sent me a pic. of what she wanted and I made it to the best I could. While delivering the cake, mind you it was 104 degrees here, the cake collapsed in my vehicle. The grooms cake made it to the venue with no problem. I quickly called them and told them what happend and I rushed home to try to make another cake. I did not show up to the venue until 10pm (4hrs after the collapse) and the cake cutting was at 9:30. I dont have any type of contracts since I work from home..I didnt think I would need one but now they are wanting their money back. Do I give them all their money or just a percentage? This is the first time this has happend to me and I have no idea how to handle this. Pls advise on what I should do. Thanks
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post #2 of 35
8/24/10 at 9:42am
Thread Starter 
The first pic is the original cake. The second is the one I made in 4hrs.


for some reason I cant post the pics. I have them on my photos. It's the 4 tier one with the stripes,circles and diamond shapes. The 3 tier on the replacement-stripes,diamond shapes, zebra stripes.
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post #3 of 35
8/24/10 at 9:52am
Well..The fact is the cake collapsed...However you did provide a replacement cake although not the original size from what I read...I would offer a refund of the missing tier servings and maybe a little extra for being late and the disturbance of having a dissaster..
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Busy Bakin Kakes For Kids!!!

Mom to Mitchell 11 yrs and Delaney 9 yrs
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post #4 of 35
8/24/10 at 9:53am
The most recent picture I see on there is from July 3rd. I would say a full refund. You made the cake, but it wasn't there in time for cake cutting.
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post #5 of 35
8/24/10 at 9:54am
I'm so sorry this happened to you. Couldn't see the pix on your gallery page, unfortunately. Anyway...the modified cake arrived after the cake cutting. There would be no question...a full refund is in order, in my opinion.
Everything's better with sugar on it!
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Everything's better with sugar on it!
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post #6 of 35
8/24/10 at 9:59am
I am sorry that this happened. It must have been awful for you to deal with.

I have never made a wedding cake, and since I am not licensed I have never taken an "order" for a cake for event. So maybe I should not comment on your situation. But since the cake was not there on time, it seems like the right thing to do to give them back their money for the wedding cake. Not the groom's cake since that was delivered as promised, but definitely the wedding cake.

Good luck with your situation.
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post #7 of 35
8/24/10 at 10:01am
Definitely give them their money back. I'm sorry that happened to you icon_sad.gif
♫ Don't worry that it's not good enough for anyone else to hear, just sing, sing a song! ♫

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♫ Don't worry that it's not good enough for anyone else to hear, just sing, sing a song! ♫

My Facebook Page:
http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/pages/Surprise-AZ/Cakes-From-Lisa/120913344426?ref=ts
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post #8 of 35
8/24/10 at 10:05am
When you're in the wedding cake biz as I am you have to understand that with a wedding *Nothing* can go wrong. Nothing.

The customer is due a full refund. In fact the check should have been in the mail the day of the reception.
Answers to the most often asked questions re: SPS. SPS instructions are on Page 15 of the Sticky at the top of the Cake Decorating Forum. Supplies can be ordered from Oasis Supply, Global or BakeryCrafts.
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Answers to the most often asked questions re: SPS. SPS instructions are on Page 15 of the Sticky at the top of the Cake Decorating Forum. Supplies can be ordered from Oasis Supply, Global or BakeryCrafts.
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post #9 of 35
8/24/10 at 10:07am
My thoughts are they should get all their money back. Even though you didn't have a paper contract your verbal contract was not honored.
I understand that it took 4 hours to do another cake but that isn't their problem.
I can't see any photo's of the cakes you described in your pic's but if they didn't get the cake they asked for, not on time and none of those things were their fault then they shouldn't have to pay.
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post #10 of 35
8/24/10 at 10:19am
Sorry that happened, but definitely a full refund is in order asap.
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post #11 of 35
8/24/10 at 10:34am
Oh, so sorry for all involved that that happened. . . did you figure out what was the cause? What kind of support system did you use? icon_sad.gif
Don't worry when you are not recognized, but strive to be worthy of recognition.
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Don't worry when you are not recognized, but strive to be worthy of recognition.
Abraham Lincoln
www.simplycakesnmore.blogspot.com
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post #12 of 35
8/25/10 at 5:59am
Thread Starter 
Thank you all for taking the time to give me advise! Yes, I decided to give a full refund! My husband said "No more wedding cakes"! They are alot of responsibility and I only did it cause they asked me and I told them if they were sure they wanted me to do it. But you gals are right...it wasn't their fault and at the end I did not come through with the cake they ordered. A full refund will be given! Thanks again!
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post #13 of 35
8/25/10 at 6:17am
Sounds like you got that all worked out. I think you made a good decision to refund the money!

I had a 5 tier cake do that same thing to me last year (my first disaster) and since there was no way for me to rush home and attempt a new cake I had to run out to a local bakery and buy enough sheet cakes for the couple to have cake to even serve. Needless to say I refunded 100% to the parents of the couple right then and there and spent another $100+ on sheet cakes as well as the money I had into the cake to begin with!

Lesson learned for me! I got online the next day and ordered the SPS system and never looked back. However, I still get nervous delivering cakes to this day!
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post #14 of 35
8/25/10 at 6:38am
I was just wondering if you would mind telling us what kind of support you used in your cake. It gets really hot here in GA too and I would not want to find myself in a similar situation. I usually use plastic dowels inside the tiers to support the one on top of it and then a center wooden dowel through the whole thing if I am transporting it fully assembled. Is that the usual method and should it be sufficient? My cakes are just buttercream, not fondant so they don't have that extra weight.
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post #15 of 35
8/25/10 at 6:39am
I'm still trying to figure out how you got another cake baked, deorated and delivered in 4 hours.
When I stand before God at the end of my life, I would hope that I would not have a single bit of talent left, and could say, "I used everything you gave me". Erma Bombeck
~~~
If God is for us, who can be against us?
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When I stand before God at the end of my life, I would hope that I would not have a single bit of talent left, and could say, "I used everything you gave me". Erma Bombeck
~~~
If God is for us, who can be against us?
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